February 2017 – Testing pH Values

Understanding acids, bases, and their interaction is fundamental to the study of chemistry. In this session, students at VMHS used a home-made pH indicator solution (red cabbage juice) to test and identify the acidity level of common things like ammonia, vinegar, laundry detergent, juices, milk, and Coke. After using their own indicator, students compared their results using traditional pH testing strips and experimented with neutralizing acids and bases and testing the results. Finally students were introduced to the concepts of exothermic (heat generating) and endothermic (heat absorbing) reactions.